Author Notes

An Insight by Luke Cowling. I know the blog content has been laking lately, and for that, I apologise. November turned out to be quite the crazy month. Though it's all turning into dividends as the projects I've been working on evolve. Juggling the production and distribution of the Owenoak audiobook with its narrator, the writing of the sequel that is three or four times as long and in-depth as it's predecessor, spending valuable time in my personal life, and managing a successful career, has meant that I've had little downtime for blogging. Though with the Audiobook done, and the Christmas break rapidly approaching, I should have more time to invest in the blog and provide insights into the works that I'm currently producing. I just thought I'd share that news, and whilst it might sound like an excuse as to why there's been so little blog content, I think it'll be worth it in the long run. Or I might just be rambling. Either way, more to co...

A Review by Luke Cowling. I'll be honest and say that most of John Green's library is dribble designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator, with the vast majority of his work being eaten up by grey tweens. And that's fine, it's meant to. That's the target audience and the man has made a fortune appealing to it. This might make me sound bitter, but I'm really not, it's just fact. By why do I mention it, at the risk of sounding hypercritical? Well, that's because one of Green's works stands out, to the point of it actually having a lasting effect on me, and making it worthwhile sitting through, as opposed to the rest. Paper Towns. If you turn your nose up at reading a John Green novel, I don't blame you, but my suggestion is here nonetheless. The book is about a rare soul, at is core, and whilst the story isn't anything groundbreaking, we rarely get a novel where a rare soul is the centrepiece. What is a rare soul? It's a p...

An Insight by Luke Cowling.  The recording is complete. I’m very excited. Sean and I polished off the remainder of the Owenoak audiobook production around midnight last night, and the audio is now in review at our publishing and distribution network. Though some of my excitement has been tapered as the release date has been pushed back to late January, but it's still a work in progress. If I can schedule in a Christmas release, despite how busy the period is, I will. In the meantime however, I have the retail sample available early for my blog followers, to provide and a snippet of an insight to Sean’s narration. It’s not the most action-packed of chapters, but those that are reveal far too much of the plot to be used as a retail sample. I’ll update as the publishing comes along, LPC.

A Thought by Luke Cowling. Writing bad guys is fun. Simple as that. You've not got to worry about aligned morality with the common person's, in fact you're trying to do the exact opposite of that. To make someone hate-able is some of the most fun you can have whilst writing. I have an example from my upcoming book, who plays a much larger role than the antagonist from the predecessor, whose passages are an absolute delight to write. Having that creative freedom to make a character as vile and dislike-able as possible, is incredibly freeing. Some of my favourite characters in fantasy are the antagonists, and I can only imagine how much fun those profiles were to create. Joffrey, or Ramsay Bolton, are some of the more obvious examples that come to my mind, and their inspiration I think will be seen as the upcoming works come into publication. It's like a guilty pleasure I think, especially when writing someone new. You've no preconceived personality traits...

An Insight by Luke Cowling. I'm really excited to share that the production process for the Audiobook version of Owenaok is more than halfway through. Sean and I have been working diligently on the project since both our contracts were signed, and the piece is coming together quickly. I fully expect to launch the Audiobook this month, or at the very latest at the start of December. It'll be done in time for Christmas regardless, and would make a good gift I suppose. Sean's performance has really brought the book to life, more than I imagined when I wrote it to be honest. I imagine we'll be working together closely when the squeal launches too, though we'll have to see. His voices fit perfectly and he's a brilliant voice actor who really brings the scenes to life, as though you were in the room. Look out for it, LPC.

An Insight by Luke Cowling. I've been radio silent for the past few weeks, not without reason though. The progress for the Owenoak sequel has come forward at a rapid rate, and I'm really enjoying the pathway the book has taken me. It's not so much the vision for the project I had at it's conception, but I have really come to love it's evolution into something different. I've written about a quarter of the planned book, but as every artist will tell you, these things rarely go to plan. Things get extended or shortened, ideas come and are tossed away. So it is really difficult to tell hard far into the piece I am, or when it will be completed. Though at I guess I would saw perhaps Easter next year, but we'll see. In the meantime though I have another crude, very crude mind you, drawing of an idea I have already included in the book. Though who will wield it, and it's nature, I will leave up to the imagination for now. Looking forward to sharing ...